Shades of Sapphire
by Brittana4rever
Summary: Just by chance, Finn Hudson bumps into a beautiful girl in the hallways of McKinley one Monday morning. And takes a liking to her. A liking that's a bit too intense for Quinn's taste. Finn/OC. The story is better the than summary, I promise.
1. Just by Chance

Finn Hudson could hardly wait for the lunch bell to ring. One more period was almost over, bringing him closer and closer to 3:00 football practice. His fingers itched to feel the satisfying _thwack_ of a leather ball in his hands. His legs felt cramped under his not-quite-big-enough desk, and he longed for fresh air and the synthetic green grass of the football field.

And, of course, the sight of Quinn and the Cheerios practicing. Finn was no Puckerman, but he could appreciate the tiny pleated skirt and short tops that the girl's wore as much as the next guy. Of course, the uniform looked amazing on Quinn. Finn glanced toward the back of the room, where Santanna and Brittany were giggling over something on Santanna's Iphone.

He still didn't know how they had ended up in the same class, since individually they barely ever did any work and together they never did. Brittany's long blond Cheerios ponytail made him think of Quinn, although Quinn's blonde was a bit more vibrant than Brit's. Finn squinted, but he couldn't discern any of the answers on Santanna's test.

He didn't even bother trying to look at Brittany's. Quinn was the smartest of the Unholy Trinity, but since she was currently in Mr. Horn's class, Santanna was second-best. Brit's head was full of air and rainbows.

"Time's up!" Mr. Dewwit, the math teacher, stood and began collecting papers from the first row of students. Frantically, Finn scribbled in a few random answers. He was probably going to fail the test. He usually did. When Mr. Dewwit reached his desk, Finn handed in his half-completed paper and grabbed his backpack. Mr. Dewwit paused for a minute, looking at Finn's paper, then sighed and moved on to the back row.

"Mr. Dewwit?" Brittany asked sweetly. "Raise your hand, Miss Pierce." Mr. Dewwit said, frowning sternly. "Oh yeah. Sorry." Brittany's hand shot into the air. Mr. Dewwit made a show of looking around the room.

"Yes, Miss Pierce?" He asked finally. "Are we dismissed?" Brittany and Santanna has already shouldered their backpacks, and Santanna was halfway out of her seat. "As soon as I get your papers, you may leave." Mr. Dewwit said. That was all the reason Finn needed. He was out of his seat and in the hallway faster than Brittany could solve 2+2.

Finn was thinking about football. Which meant he wasn't paying much attention to anyone around him. Or anyone walking directly at him. Which was why he didn't notice the tall, slim girl until he slammed into her full-force, knocking her and her books to the ground.

"Oh, my god!" Finn looked down at the girl, who was rubbing the side of her head. "Are you okay?" Instinctively he held out a hand and pulled the girl to her feet so that he stood facing her. She had fiery red hair long enough to tap her elegant shoulder blades, and large, sparkling emerald orbs shaded by dark lashes. A light smattering of freckles was dusted across her smooth, pale skin and delicate nose.

"Uh, h-hi." Finn said, stammering. He wasn't quite sure what the rules of etiquette were when you knocked over a beautiful girl in a crowded hallway. "I'm, uh, sorry about, you know...that." "It's fine." The girl smiled sweetly at him. Her voice had a slight breathy quality to it, and reminded him of Quinn's. She held out a hand. "I'm Sapphire."

Her nails were rounded and perfect but unpolished. Quinn always wore fingernail polish. Awkwardly, Finn grasped her hand in his and shook it. He couldn't help but think how Quinn would never shake anyone's hand. "That's a pretty name. I'm, uh, Finn."

Suddenly he remembered himself and where he was, and he reached down and gathered up her books. When he straightened up, the girl-Sapphire-smiled at him again. "Thanks." She took the books from him, and and their arms brushed against each other for a fraction of a second. Finn felt electric chills all down his body.

The bell rang, loud and harsh, breaking the spell at once. "Better get going." The girl pulled her hair back into a ponytail and snapped an elastic around it. Finn watched her intently. She had slim, agile fingers. "Don't want to be late for my first English class." Finn shook himself. "Yeah. It was nice to meet you." He paused. "Sapphire." "Nice to meet you too, Finn." The girl swung her bag over her shoulder and set off at a quick pace down the hall. Finn looked after her, watching her hips sway with each step she took. _Damn_ He thought to himself. _She's got a really nice butt._


	2. AngelFace

_**Hi! Sophie here. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far *cough* 2 *cough*. I literally danced with joy at your comments. :} Keep on reading.**_

**Chapter 2**_**  
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Quinn Fabray was on top of her game. As she walked down the hallway with Santanna and Brittany at her side, the students shrank and parted like the Red Sea. Their expressions, ranging from admiration to fear, reassured her that she was once again on top. She was so done with this whole pregnancy business.

She had had Beth and had given her up for adoption, and although she regretted that her baby was probably going to grow up into a mini Rachel, it was really not her problem at this point.

Quinn shook herself. She didn't like to think about Beth or Puck. It brought back raw, dangerous feelings that she didn't particularly want to feel or deal with. Now that she was back on the Cheerios, and back as queen of McKinley, it was all about Finn, her social life, and her clothes. And that was that.

Quinn's pleated Cheerios skirt swished around her thighs, making her feel strangely exposed. She kept looking down at herself and expecting to see a swollen belly under a knit coat or babydoll dress, but instead was met with the comforting sight of her flat stomach and toned thighs.

Glancing over at Santanna and Brittany, Quinn reassured herself that she was still the prettiest of the Unholy Trinity. Santanna had sultry dark eyes, but Quinn's blue ones were vivid and lively, and Britt's butter-blond paled in comparison to her own honey-colored locks. Santanna had told her once that being blonde and blue-eyed meant that you had bad pigmentation and were more likely to catch skin cancer. Quinn had replied that having black hair and brown eyes meant that you were a jealous slut.

That'd been the end of that conversation.

Quinn was recalled to the present by the familiar pop of Santanna's bubble gum. Gum wasn't techinically allowed on school grounds, but Coach Sylvester had her ways of ensuring that every Cheerio could chew wads of the sugar-free stuff whenever they liked.

Quinn looked up and realized that she'd fallen several paces behind. She quickened her gait, reminding herself that she had to be on it today. Coach Sylvester's quarterly tryouts were no joke, and even though Quinn was fairly certain she'd keep her position as Head Cheerio, she still wanted to impress the coach with a stellar performance. It couldn't hurt.

"So." Santanna said, when Quinn had reached her side. "Think there'll be any fresh meat this year?" Quinn shrugged. "Fresh meat" was Santanna's term for new Cheerios members. "I don't know. Not likely. I don't think we have anything to worry about." Brittany blinked. "I don't know, guys." She said in her sweet, spacy voice. "I heard that Mercedes Jones is gonna try out." Quinn and Santanna burst out laughing. "What?" Brittany looked confused. "She could totally do it, you guys, I heard Coach Sylvester call her Beyonce."

Santanna stifled her giggles down to a grin. "I'll be sure to watch out for her, Brit. Thanks for the heads-up." She touched Brit's arm gently. Quinn looked away, feeling an annoying tightness in her throat. She wanted to be touched like that.

"So anyway." Quinn said briskly, wanting to break up the love-fest before she cried. "Did you hear about the new girl?" "New girl?" Santanna frowned. "Which one?" "San, she's not a freshie." Brittany twirled the end of her ponytail around her finger. "She's in our year. She moved here from, like, California or something." Quinn felt the hair on her neck bristle. California girls were exotic and dangerous. They could be a threat if not cut down to size properly.

"Whatever." Quinn said dismissively. "Did you hear her name?" "No." Santanna leaned slightly closer to Quinn and cocked her head in the I'm-listening position. "It's _Sapphire_." Quinn said, pronouncing Sapphire the way others would say "_Dead Rat With Rabies_".

Brittany smiled. "That's a cute name. I like it. Isn't Sapphire that stuff you cook with?"

Santanna rolled her eyes. "That's _Saffron_." She corrected. "And _no_, it's not a cute name, it's freaky. That's like being named Diamond or Quartz." Brittany pouted. "My parents were gonna name me Diamond." She said, looking down at the toes of her white sneakers.

Quinn rubbed her temples. "Whatever, guys, hurry up, we can't be late for Cheerios." She leaned against the heavy doors that led out onto the sunny practice field. They opened, letting in a much-needed whoosh of fresh air and sunlight.

The girls hurried across the field, sneakers crunching on the bristly, artificial-green grass. Coach Sylvester was already waiting in a folding chair, legs propped on her plastic table. When she spotted them she lowered her dark sunglasses and checked her watch. "Q, as of now, you are officially 15.3 seconds late." She flipped her shades back up. "Unacceptable. Have a seat."

"Wait, what?" Quinn asked, confused. "Am I not trying out?" Coach Sylvester waved her comment away like one of Ken Tanaka's farts. "Not necessary. You will, however, help me judge. You too, Sandbags." Santanna and Quinn each took a char at the table, beaming.

"What about me?" Brittany asked uncertainly. "Oh, B, I'd love you too, but I'm just not sure your brain cells are up to the job." Coach Sylvester took a sip from her blue gatorade bottle. Brittany's lower lip quivered, and she pulled on her ponytail in her classic 'I'm-about-to-cry' pose.

"You know what, Britanny? If theres one thing I can't stand, it's the sound of your crying. It sounds like a pitiful puppy having it's head slowly squeezed in a vice. It lowers my libido." Coach Sylvester handed Brittany her empty Gatorade bottle. "You're promoted to head waterboy." Brittany beamed and took the bottle from Coach Sylvester, then set off sprinting down the field. "Don't forget I only drink the blue ones!" Coach Sylvester called after her. She brushed off her hands on her fire-engine-red tracksuit and turned to face Santanna and Quinn. "So, ladies, let's get this thing started."


	3. Girls

**Tralalalala. Writin' at night. Prompts are fine, by the way. Reviews make the angels smile.**

_Not a big fan of this short chapter. :/_

_**I DONT OWN GLEE**_

**Chapter 3**

The word was a rhythm in Finn's head. A very distracting rhythm. So far, he'd only caught 2 of the 5 passes Puck had thrown him, and had fumbled both. Coach Bieste was looking pretty pissed.

"Dude." Puck jogged over to Finn, wiping his shiny forehead on the sleeve of his shirt. "What are you thinking about? You're pretty out of it."

"Sapphire." Finn blurted out, then bit the inside of his mouth. "Oh yeah. New girl." Puck nodded appreciatively. "Pretty hot, right?" He looked up thoughtfully into the hot April sky. "I think if she joins the Cheerios, I'll hook up with her."

Puck slapped Finn on the shoulder and then jogged back out to the middle of the field. Finn kept his eye on the ball this time, as it came sailing towards him, and caught it in his outstretched hands with the satisfying _thwack _that he'd been craving all day.

Figuring he deserved a reward, Finn tossed the ball back to Puck and looked across the field to where the Cheerios were having their tryouts. He could make out the figures of Quinn and Santanna, who were sitting at a table with Coach Sylvester, but he couldn't figure out who the girl executing a perfect double backflip was.

Then the girl turned a cartwheel, and Finn caught a flash of coppery red, glinting in the sunlight. The annoying rhythm started in his head again. _**.**_ Finn shook his head to clear it and tried to think about Quinn and football instead.

A few yards away, Puck, who was preparing to hike the ball, dropped it and squinted across the field, shading his eyes against the blinding sun. "Dude, I am _so_ sleeping with her."

Just then, Brittany jogged past them, wearing a black sports bra and leggings and holding an empty gatorade bottle. "Hi, Finn! Hi, Puck!" She called. Finn turned and waved at her, casting a furtive glance at her toned stomach and legs.

Puck smirked. "Nice top." He said, winking at her. Brittany turned up her pointy nose. Ever since Puck had gotten Quinn pregnant, the Unholy Trinity had been giving him the silent treatment.

Puck turned back to Finn and shrugged. "Girls." He said, as if the very existence of the word baffled him. Then he went back to watching the Cheerios.

_Yeah. _ Finn though to himself as he absentmindedly stretched out his hamstrings.

_Girls._


	4. New Girl

_**Hey guys. Another short chapter, but the next one should be longer. Bear with me.**_

_**Reviews make Satan cry.**_

_**I DON'T OWN GLEE**_

**Chapter 4**

Quinn was quiet as her mother drove up the long, twisting driveway that led to the Fabray's tudor mansion. She was pondering the emergence of the new girl, Sapphire.

It hadn't even crossed Quinn's mind that Sapphire might try out fot the Cheerios, but she'd appeared at exactly 3:15, dressed in a form-fitting white tank and silk hot pants, and had impressed Coach Sylvester with a stellar tryout to Marron 5's "Moves like Jagger."

She had a lithe, agile body and was amazing at back handsprings. Which was a bit offsetting, since Quinn considered back handsprings her specialty, but the decision to let her on the squad had been unanimous, and Quinn didn't want to come across as the jealous bitch, so she'd agreed, too.

Now she sighed and flipped open her polished black Sephora compact, checking her reflection in her tiny mirror. She tucked a stray honey-colored strand back into her messy chignon and dabbed at her slightly shiny forehead with one of the blotting sheets that she kept in the glove compartment. Blotting sheets were always good to have around, just in case.

Next to her, her mother drove, looking straight ahead, lips drawn into a tight smile. It had been like this ever since the night Quinn had announced to her family that she was pregnant with Finn's child.

Of course, Quinn was relieved to be allowed back in the house. Living at Mercedes' place had been no picnic, with only 4 bedrooms and bathrooms, no jacuzzi, and no privacy. But she still missed the heart-to-heart talks and shopping trips that she used to share with her mother.

"So, sweetheart." Mrs. Fabray touched her lips to the edge of her Starbucks Venti half-caff low-fate latte and set it down. "How was your day?"

This was their routine. Every day the same question, and the same answer.

_Wonderful._ Quinn wanted to say._ I got to be a judge in Cheerios and I got an A on my English test, and Finn Hudson told me I looked beautiful, and I'm thinking about winning Prom Queen. But what would you know about any of that? You don't want anything to do with me anymore._

Instead, she looked down at her fingernails and replied "Fine."

"That's good." Her mom pulled up in front of the grand house. Quinn unbuckled her seat belt and hopped out of the car before it even came to a stop. She shouldered her backpack and hurried into the house.

Her dad was waiting inside. He gave her a faint smile as she dropped her backpack on the floor. Quinn wanted him to sweep her up into his comforting, aftershave-scented embrace and exclaim "How's my beautiful Quinnie?" like he used to. But that wasn't going to happen.

"Hi honey. How was your day?" That seemed to be their fallback question. "Fine." Quinn replied without looking up at her dad. "I've got a lot of homework." She unzipped her backpack and grabbed a few textbooks, then practically sprinted up the stairs. She needed some time to think.

Upstairs, sitting cross-legged on her bed, her textbooks lying forgotten on the floor, Quinn woke up her white Iphone and texted Santanna.

**Quinn: **_So, what do u think of new girl?_

**San:**_ Hot._

**Quinn:**_ Friend or foe?_

**San:**___Friend._

**Quinn:**_ U sure?_

**San:**___Duh. I don't say stuff unless I'm sure. Why?_

**Quinn:**___PETU?_

**San: **_Nah. Even if she is, it'll be easy to take her down a few if we need to._

**Quinn:**_ Ur right._

**San: **_I always am._

Quinn flipped her phone shut, feeling relieved. Santanna was completely right. Even if Sapphire was **P**retty **E**nough **T**o **U**pstage them, they practically ruled the school. With a word from their mouths, Sapphire could be sitting alone at the loser table faster than Quinn could say "top bitch."

But of course, it wouldn't have to come to that.

And if it did, Quinn would be prepared.


	5. Finn's Day

**_Uneventful long chapter. I'm really looking forward to writing the next one. Yay JealousQuinn!_**

Finn Hudson woke up on Tuesday morning feeling refreshed and excited.

He actually had no idea why, but Finn would take any good mood that came his way to help him get through the long, already-hot days of Lima April.

Whistling happily, he stripped down and got into the shower. As he shampooed his hair, he hummed the catchy new Maroon 5 song "Moves like Jagger." Where had he heard that song before? He was sure it was familiar from somewhere, but he couldn't quite remember where.

Still humming, Finn turned the showerhead on full blast and rinsed out his hair. His mom insisted that he take a shower every morning, and although he'd argued that he already showered in school after football every day, Carole had just pinched her nose and said "Sorry. Every morning, buddy."

Finn stepped out of the shower into the steamy bathroom and wrapped himself in a fluffy white towel. He glanced briefly into the fogged-up mirror.

Looks weren't generally something he worried about, since he knew he'd gotten lucky in that department. Still.

Sometimes Finn wondered if people talked about him behind his back. He knew he was oversized and a little clumsy, but those were traits he'd been born with and couldn't change.

Finn secured the towel around his waist and opened the door to his room.

Kurt was sitting on his bed.

Finn stood awkwardly, kind of wishing he'd chosen a longer towel, since Kurt's pupils were about the size of saucers as he stared at Finn. He knew Kurt was over "liking" him, but still. Finn wasn't homophobic by any stretch of the imagination, but the whole Shawshank thing still made him a little nervous.

"Uh, dude?" Finn asked. "Sorry!" Kurt squeaked, and practically sprinted out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Finn sat down on his bed, bemused, and dried himself off.

He threw on a gray t-shirt under his red football jacket and a pair of jeans. To be honest, his jeans all looked the same, but Finn didn't mind, although Kurt would probably have a heart attack if he saw Finn's clothes drawer.

Humming to himself, Finn slipped on his red Air Jordans and tightened the black laces. Then, feeling a little silly, he went into the bathroom and moisturized his face using some of the cream stuff Kurt had given him along with the ominous warning that his "t-zone" was "dangerously dry."

Feeling fresh and clean, Finn traipsed down the stairs, still humming, hoping his mom had made breakfast.

The smell of bacon made Finn's mouth water as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Carole was standing by the stove, watching a sizzling pan, and a stack of French Toast was piled on a plate on the table.

"Hi, Finn." His mom smiled warmly and slid the first batch of bacon out onto a paper towel. She dabbed off the excess grease and dumped all 10 strips onto Finn's plate.

"Hi, mom." Finn sat down. "Special occasion?" He asked, eyeing the bacon. "Nah. Just woke up in a good mood." Finn smiled down at his plate. "Me too."

After he'd eaten and kissed his mom goodbye, Finn and Kurt piled into Finn's small car, since Kurt's SUV was out of gas. As usual when he was alone with Kurt, Finn found the silences slightly awkward. He knew that they should be closer since Kurt was now his stepbrother, but to be honest, they didn't spend much time together. Finn liked Kurt, but he didn't really know him.

"So, Finn, what do you think of the new girl?" "What?" Finn asked, surprised. "Oh, uh...she's pretty, I guess. "Hmm." Kurt tilted his head upward. "I agree. She does have a certain elfin charm." "Yeah, uh, I guess so." Finn said, looking into his rearview mirror as he backed the car into the parking lot. "Anyway, we're here."

Kurt hopped out of the car, and Finn followed, taking in a few deep breaths of the crisp, clean spring air, which elevated his mood even more. The sky was the same clear, vivid blue as Quinn's eyes.

Out of the corner of his eye, Finn spotted Santanna and Brittany, in matching black short-sleeve tops and tight jeans, each holding a bulky wool sweater over one arm. Their hair flowed loose over their shoulders. Finn jogged over to them.

"Hey guys. Uh, what gives? Is there a reason for..." he trailed off, gesturing to their non-weather appropriate-ensembles. Brittany smiled. "Coach Sylvester says saunas are good for weight-loss, and since we don't have a sauna at school, we're gonna have to make our own." Santanna scowled and tugged the fabric of her shirt away from her body. "I can't believe you're actually _excited_ about that."

"Um...right. So...is Quinn with you guys?" Santanna shook her head. "She didn't sleep over last night. Said she had 'other stuff' to do."

As if on cue, Quinn appeared behind them. She looked gorgeous, as always. Her pale gray t-shirt made her tan pop and highlighted the rich tones of her hair and eyes. Her blond locks curled softly over her shoulders. "Hi Finn." She snaked an arm around Finn's waist and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. Finn felt even warmer.

Santanna rolled her eyes. "Ick, you guys are so cute it makes me want to barf." She mimed sticking a finger down her throat. Brittany giggled.

Sighing, Quinn untangled herself from Finn, gave him one last peck on the cheek, and threaded her arm through Brit's. She waved over her shoulder as the Unholy Trinity set off towards the school.

Finn smiled. He could already tell that it was going to be a good day.


	6. Meet My Friends

_**So much homework, so little time to write. ):**_

_**Chapter 6**_

Quinn's stomach rumbled hungrily. She hoped no one could hear it. As Mr. Horn droned on about the Mayans and their pyramids, all Quinn could think about was her kiwi-bannana-strawberry-pineapple fruit salad and low-fat baked lays.

Sometimes she craved more substantial foods, but whenever the urge to overeat hit, she just googled pictures of overweight teens. Those images alone were enough reason not to give in to temptation.

Quinn glanced toward middle row. The pretty new girl was scribbling furiously on her handout. Her loose coppery hair cascaded down her shoulders, a surprisingly striking contrast against her orange t-shirt. She was chewing gum. Quickly, Quinn jotted down a note onto the edge of her paper, tore it off, and, with a flick of her wrist, sent it sailing back to land on the girl's desk. A few moments later, Rachel, who sat next to Quinn, handed Quinn a few pieces of bubble gum with a dissaproving glare. Quinn smiled and popped one into her mouth.

Rahcel looked like she was gearing up for a lecture. Quinn chewed faster, flattening the gum against the roof of her mouth. Rachel took a deep breath. "You know, Quinn, not only is chewing gum in class rude, it's bad for your teeth, and it's been proven to-" Quinn blew a huge bubble and popped it in Rachel's face. Rachel blinked, stunned, and Quinn turned back to her worksheet as Mr. Horn looked up and scanned the room for the perpetrator who dared disturb the sacred boringness of Social Studies.

The lunch bell rang just when Quinn thought she might faint of starvation. She jumped up out of her seat, leaving her worksheet on her desk, grabbed her backpack, and hurried out of the room. In the hallway, she spotted the new girl, Sapphire, a few yards ahead of her. Quinn slipped her compact mirror from her pocket, checked her reflection in it's tiny surface, then fast-walked until she caught up with Sapphire. She plastered her Homecoming Queen 1000-watt smile on her face. "Hey!" She chirped, as cheery as if she were giving a Cheerios pep-talk. Sapphire turned to face Quinn. "Hi." she said, almost cautiously, as if she was afraid she might trigger a landmine. Quinn tried to make sure that her smile said "Friendly" and not "Hungry Shark".

"You're Sapphire, right? Are you new?" Quinn was just asking to be polite, and maybe a little patronizing. She already knew the answer to both questions.

Sapphire leveled her with a stare. "Yes, and yes. You're Quinn, right? And you're from Lima?" She asked, picking up on the patronizing note in Quinn's voice and tossing it right back.

Quinn's smile widened, partly to show she wasn't hurt by attitude given to her by new girls, and partly because she was glad Sapphire was bitchy. Bitchy was good for popular girls. Still, Quinn made sure she spoke with the slightest hint of superiority and stood up perfectly straight.

"So, anyway, since you're on the Cheerios now, I thought you should probably sit at my table. Our table." Quinn wasn't exactly asking, but she wasn't exactly not asking, either. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw annoying Rachel Berry walk by, carrying a thick stack of music sheets. "Otherwise, you might end up sitting at a loser table." Quinn said, raising her voice a little. Rachel looked up and rolled her eyes as Quinn turned back to Sapphire. "So, what do you think?" She caught Sapphire's intensely green eyes and held her gaze.

A second passed by...another... Quinn's heart thumped in her ears. Success was her fuel. If this girl didn't agree to her plan, then she hadn't succeeded. She needed to succeed. Quinn held her breath. Another second...then Sapphire beamed, a gorgeous, glowing, perfect-teeth showing smile. "Great. Thanks so much." Quinn breathed out through her teeth in a _whoosh_ as Sapphire wrapped an arm around her and gave her a quick hug. Of course, she'd accomplished what she wanted to. She always did, after all. She threaded her arm through Sapphire's and started off towards the cafeteria.

"Honestly, I really need someone to give me the DL on this school." Sapphire said in a confidential tone. "Could you-" "Say no more." Quinn cut her off. "Of course I will. No one knows the school like I do, after all." Quinn waited until Sapphire nodded in agreement. "Okay, here's the Golden Rule." She said as she pushed open the heavy cafeteria doors. "Rachel Berry equals social poison..."


	7. Jealousy

**Jealous!Finn**

**_After this chapter things start to move faster._**

**_Hallelujah._**

The weather was getting hotter and hotter. Finn's white t-shirt clung to his damp, sweaty skin as he trudged back to the locker room from another long, hard practice. His muscles ached, and his legs screamed with every step he took, but Finn Hudson was on Cloud Nine.

He'd had an amazing day. It had started with getting a B+ on his English paper, which was a pretty big achievement when you juggled football and basketball and your status as highschool royalty. At lunch, he'd found out that the broken slushie machine had _finally_ been replaced, and the sugary blue soup had tasted twice as good as usual. As he was walking back to his seat, he's seen Sapphire sitting with Quinn and the Cheerios at their coveted table, which had made him feel strangely elated. Then, during football, Coach Bieste had said that his passes were "definitely improving." To top it off, Quinn had looked extra-pretty during Cheerios practice, with her hair flowing loosely over her shoulders like a glossy golden waterfall as she executed double-back-handsprings and somersaults.

Finn whisteled as he stripped off his shirt and stepped under the lukewarm shower. He didn't mind the lack of adequate water heating in the locker room so much during summertime, but in winter he showered as quickly as possible.  
>Finn stood in the shower longer than he usually did, with the temperature turned down to the coldest setting, letting the freezing water beat down on his upturned face. It was refreshing and energizing,and Finn didn't want to step back out into the hot, humid Lima sun, but soon the locker room began emptying out. Finn twisted the shower knobs off and wrapped himself in a thin white towel.<p>

The locker room was almost empty, but Puck was still there,sitting on the cold floor tying his shoe. When Finn opened his locker with a _clank_, Puck looked up. "Oh. Hey dude." He held out his hand, and Finn slapped it.

"What's up?" Finn grabbed his crumpled shirt from his locker and tugged it over his head. Then he turned away from Puck and quickly slipped on his boxers and jeans.

"Relax, dude." Puck smirked as Finn turned back around. "I'm not Hummel. I don't care about your man-meat." Finn's face flamed, and he clenched his fists at his side, fighting the urge to slap Puck across the face. It was hard not to rush to his sweet stepbrother's defense when the football players ragged on him.

"Anyway." Puck stood and closed his locker. "Let's go. I have some top-secret confidential information to tell you." He grabbed two cans of Coke from the stocked mini-fridge that stood in the corner of the room and tossed one to Finn.

Finn cracked the can open and sipped the cold, fizzy drink gratefully. He and Puck hurried out of the smelly locker room, back onto the grassy football field.

Puck looked around dramatically, shielding his eyes against the blinding sun, and brought his mouth close to Finn's ear. "You know that hot Sapphire chick?" Finn nodded warily. "I'm gonna sleep with her." Puck said confidently. "What makes you think she'll want to?" Finn blurted, before he could think.

Puck grinned and thumped his fist against his muscular chest. "These." He lowered his voice an octave. "And besides, I asked her out on a date, and she said yes." Finn swallowed. He knew he should congratulate Puck on his new catch, but somehow he couldn't get the words out.

Puck was looking at him expectantly. "Uh...that's really, um, great." Finn managed. His mouth felt dry and hot. He crumpled the empty can of coke in his hand.

Puck's smirk widened. Finn wanted to wipe it off his face. "I know." He tossed his coke can onto the field, not bothering to aim for the black plastic trash bin a few feet away, and nodded at Santanna, who was walking back from Cheerios practice.

"Anyway, see you later." before Finn could respond, Puck turned and jogged off to join Santanna, leaving Finn standing alone under the beating sun, angry without really knowing why.


	8. Boys

The days flew by fast now as warm spring blended into sweltering summer. To Quinn, sometimes her days seemed like a web of carefully interwoven routines; wake up, take a shower, get dressed, go to school, sit in class half-asleep until lunch, eat with the Cheerios, trudge through the rest of the schoolday with a bright smile on plastered her face, and then Cheerios practice. Rinse, Lather, Repeat.

She kept a calender on her white nightstand, and every day, after she'd finished another brutal Cheerios practice, furiously shoving away thoughts of Beth and Puck as she shouted out encouragement and smiled until her face hurt, after she'd endured the tense silences in the car and in the house, silences that seemed to fill the air with something much louder than yelling or screaming, after she'd trudged upstairs and dumped her books on the floor, Quinn always felt a surge of pure joy as she marked an X on another day. One more down. 2 weeks to go.

At least she had Sapphire. The girl was turning out to be a lot more interesting than Quinn had expected. Her father was a film producer, and her mother an actress. They'd met when they were both young, in their early twenties. She'd starred in one of his movies, and they'd been the talk of the walk for a while in California. When their fifteen minutes of fame were over, they're taken the money they'd earned and traveled around the globe.

Somewhere between cavorting in Sweden and dancing the tango in Mexico, as Sapphire put it, she'd been conceived, and she was born in a hospital in Germany. Her father had only recently decided to give up his globe-trotting ways, come to Lima to "settle down."

Sapphire had punctuated this comment with an eye-roll, and Quinn had bristled, then swallowed her anger. Still, she couldn't help but want to defend her sweet, sleepy little hometown.

As Quinn walked up the stairs, she pondered the upcoming summer vacation. Two weeks seemed like a torturously long stretch of time when every day was the same.

Quinn set her backpack down on the floor and unzipped her lightweight hooded jacket. She hung it up carefully on the doorknob, and then surveyed her room, hands on her hips. Everything was in it's place. Her counters gleamed, her mirrors were-spotless, and her drawers were neat. Her homework was done, and she's already fed the cat.

It had been a while since Quinn had had nothing to do. Sighing, she slipped out of her tightfitting Cheerios uniform and pulled on a pair of stretchy black sweatpants and a tank top, then grabbed her 11-pound starter weights. On the rare occasions that she did get free time, Quinn always used every second of it to improve herself.

After she'd done 100 reps, Quinn's arms burned, and her pelvis ached from her relentless crunches and sit-ups. She put her weights away and went to the bathroom. She shed her sweaty clothes and stood under the shower for a long time, letting the warm, soapy water beat down on her. She dried herself off and changed into a silky robe, not bothering with hair or makeup.

She sat down on her bed and pulled her phone from the front pocket of her backpack. Her fingers flew over the touch-screen keyboard as she tapped out a message to Santanna.

Quinn: What are you doing?

Santanna: _Homework._

Quinn: How much do you have left?

Santanna: _All of it. g2g._

Quinn sighed. Not that she was surprised. Santanna rarely did her homework in advance, if she could avoid it.

She knew texting Brittany was probably futile, but her other option was to wallow in her own boredom all day.

Quinn: _Hi Britt. Want to go shopping or something today?_

Brittany: I don't know if I can. I have homework to do.

Quinn: _But we did it all together in elective, remember?_

Brittany: Yeah, but I can't figure out the times to put on our project. It's like, every time I look at the clock, it's different, and I don't know what to do.

Quinn rubbed her temples. Being around Brittany gave her headaches. She was about to shut off her phone when she made a last-ditch attempt.

Quinn: Hey. Do you want to meet up for coffee or something today. I'm bored out of my mind.

Quinn waited. A minute went by...then two...she was almost dozing off when she felt her phone vibrate. Quickly, she unlocked the darkened screen and read her message.

Sapphire: _Sure. Starbucks? Is it okay if Finn+Puck are there too?_

Suddenly Quinn was wide awake. She sat bolt-upright and stared at her phone screen. _What was Sapphire doing with Puck? What was she doing with __Finn?_

Quinn: Sure. Be there in ten.

Quinn had never moved so fast before, not even in one of Coach Sylvester's elimination practices. She shed her robe and pulled on a turquoise mini that Finn said brought out the color of her eyes, and Puck said made her look hot. She undid her ponytail and brushed out her hair until it shimmered in golden cascade of curls down her back. She glossed and re-glossed her lips with a peachy MAC sheen, and squeezed her feet into her nicest, and most uncomfortable pair of Louboutins. She even put on a push-up bra for good measure, since she had to admit that Sapphire had a bit more than her in the bosom department.

Satisfied, Quinn turned in front of the mirror. She sparkled, from her hair down to her polished toes. There was no way Finn or Puck would think she was less attractive than Sapphire. Right?

Of course. Quinn reassured herself. She sprayed a cloud of Juicy perfume into the air and walked through it, then grabbed her car keys and headed downstairs to meet her match.


	9. Break my heart

Sapphire had beautiful eyes. Deep emerald, sparkling and bright, with flecks of tawny gold. And Finn was mesmerized by them.

She was chatting away about some movie or something, but Finn wasn't catching any of it, and he had the distinct feeling that Puck wasn't either, because his eyes were trained on the neckline of her low-cut tank top.

Sapphire stopped talking abruptly, and set her cup down. Finn shook himself and nudged Puck in the ribs. Puck shifted his gaze to Sapphire's face and grinned sheepishly. "Yeah?" he half-asked, half-said.

Sapphire, though, wasn't looking at them. She was peering across the crowded food court with an expression of delight on her face.

Finn followed her gaze, caught a flash of golden hair, and froze. Quinn Fabray was marching across the court with fury burning in her blue eyes. Finn straightened and focused his attention on his empty latte cup.

Quinn reached the table and carelessly sat down in the one empty chair next to Sapphire. "Hi, Sapphire! Hi Finn." She purred, her voice as sweet and artificial as Splenda, completely ignoring Puck. She leaned across the table and kissed Finn on the mouth. That wasn't like Quinn. She hated PDA. Finn knew she was trying to make it perfectly clear that he was taken. That she owned him. Finn wasn't sure if he liked that, but out of habit he draped his arm across Quinn's shoulders. He stole a glance at Sapphire, wondered if it was bothering her, but she was talking to Puck with a smile on her pretty face. Finn felt an odd twinge of dissapointment twist in his stomach.

Sapphire casually slipped out her hair elastic. Her shiny locks framed her deliicate face in soft waves, adding to the effect of fae-like beauty. Finn watched her shake out her hair like a girl in a Pantene commercial.

Quinn's bony elbow dug into his ribs, and he turned back to her. He could practically see the steam coming from her ears. _"_F_inn." _she hissed pontedly. "We need to talk. _Now._" She stood and raised her eyebrows. Finn got to his feet awkwardly and looked around. "Right here, now?" He asked under his breath. Quinn crossed her arms and Finn sighed. "Uh, be right back, guys." He said before Quinn practically propelled him from the food court.

She walked at a furious pace, and Finn took long strides to keep up with her. When Quinn finally paused outside of a Hot Topic, she was flushed and out of breath. "What was _that_ all about?" she asked, just as Finn opened his mouth to ask the same. "What was _what_ all about?" Finn leveled Quinn with a stare. Quinn's wide eyes darted from side to side, making her look like a deer caught in headlights. "Well, _that!_" She gesticulated furiously, as if words couldn't convey the wrongs he'd commited. "The way you were _looking_ at her!"

That was it. Finn's temper snapped. "Oh, I'm so sorry." He snarled, his words dripping with sarcasm. "For _looking_ at another girl, Little Miss Perfect. I'm sure you would know all about that, what with you going around last year _fucking my best friend!_"

Quinn flinched as if Finn had slapped her. Her eyes instantly welled with tears, but Finn turned without a word and walked away slowly. He looked back over his shoulder once, unable to resist temptation. Quinn was looking at the ground, tears streaming down cheeks. Her beautiful face held all the melancholy and unfairness in the world in it's innocence and grief.

Finn turned around and walked straight and fast, and he didn't spare her another backwards look.


End file.
